Articles

SVG Green Party is very concerned with Vinlec's bias in giving Gonsalves' government a secret 10% discount. Vinlec must also give a 10% discount on light bills to all other customers.

It would appear that the incompetent Gonsalves government could not pay its light bill for 2008. The ULP government amassed a massive $13,748,356 light bill for 2008. Gonsalves is running SVG's finances so badly that he was unable to pay his light bill.

When ordinary Vincentians can not pay their light bill they get disconnected. In recent years many poor families have been disconnected by Vinlec and left in darkness. However, rather than disconnect Gonsalves' government, Vinlec gave Gonsalves' government a discount of 10%. Vinlec gave Gonsalves' government a massive $1.38 million discount.

Is it not immoral and illegal for Vinlec to give Gonsalves' government a 10% discount, yet not give the same 10% discount to other Vinlec customers, in particularly, the poor? Many poor families have been disconnected and cannot afford electricity. Vinlec should have used that $1.38 million to help poor families.

It makes you wonder, who did paid the $1.38 million to cover Gonsalves' light bill? Did Vinlec's other customers have to bail out Gonsalves? On what basis did Vinlec give Gonsalves a 10% discount? What was the 'deal'? Vinlec should disconnect Gonsalves for not paying his full light bill or reconnected all the poor families who also could not pay their bill.

Vinlec should not discriminate with disconnections of customers. The poorest of the poor with children have their electricity cut for non-payment, equally so, Vinlec should cut the supply of government, when the Gonsalves' government defaults in paying light bills. It is very suspicious that the discount was given in secrecy.

Is it right that the poor are oppressed with high light bills to subside electricity discounts for the government of Gonsalves, while Gonsalves grants multi-million dollar blanket tax and customs duty exemptions to the very rich in Mustique?

It is clear that the Gonsalves government is in an absolute shambles. It cannot create revenue and cannot pay its light bill. How shameful to have a government that runs out of money. A light bill of almost $14 million is very high.'Gonsalves' government should put measures in place to reduce the cost of the light bills and not seek secret discounts as a solution.

Gonsalves' claim that SVG's economy is on the take off is ridiculous. How can the economy be taking off when Gonsalves can't pay his light bill?

We cannot and must not allow our beloved country to fall further into ruin. SVG is falling rapidly into dilapidation and misery. There has been an increase in poverty and crime, especially against women. The weak economy is the cause of this.

We must go Green and turn to renewable energy for our electricity supply. Gonsalves has shown that electricity is too expensive. With renewable energy, everyone will be able to afford electricity, even Gonsalves.